| From the Richmond Dispatch |
| |
| October 17, 1861 |
| |
| The Fairfax mails |
| Our army correspondent at Fairfax
having, in a recent letter, made an elusion to the irregularity of the
malls in that direction, we deemed the matter of sufficient importance
to justify an investigation, and consequently made the proper
inquiries at the Post Office Department, and were permitted to copy
the subjoined communication. It shows that the officials have not been
neglectful of the wants of our soldiers, who are the real sufferers by
the detention of letters from their friends at home, while the causes
of complaint are beyond the Department's control: |
| |
| Richmond, Oct. 14, 1861. H. Sr. Geo. Offutt, Esq., Chief of the Contract
Bureau. Sir: |
| In accordance with your
instructions of the 8th instant, I left this city on the morning of
the 9th, and arrived at Fairfax C. H. on the morning of the 10th. |
| The train from Tudor Hall to
Fairfax Station has been all the time since that part of the Railroad
was rebuilt, under the immediate control of the Chief
Quartermaster, Major W. L. Cabell. In fact, it is now called the
"Quartermaster's Train," and he pays for the entire use of
it, and runs it whenever he pleases, or has anything to transport. A
private soldier, from the army, named -- --, was detailed to act as
conductor and mail messenger on the train between the two places: and
they transported the mails as they pleased, under the impression that
they were benefitting the Post-Office Department, as well as
themselves, in carrying the mails. |
| I endeavored to get the
regular mail train run to Fairfax Station, or such portion of it as
was necessary to convey the mails and soldiers; but Mr. Vandergrift,
the Superintendent of the {Orange &
Alexandria} road, informed me that it was impracticable,
from the fact that they had no turn-table at Fairfax Station, and that
it would be dangerous to run so long a train backwards (ten miles) in
the night. |
| There has been a great deal of
complaint about the Winchester
mails, and while at Tudor Hall, I learned that it arose from a want of
connection with the Manassas {Gap} Road
by the Orange
& Alexandria Railroad. |
| Very respectfully, |
| W. E. M. Word, |
| Special Agent P. O. D. |
|